Always Here
by booknerdhere
Summary: Teddy Lupin inquires with 'Uncle' Harry as to who the lovely couple in the picture frame is. Harry - though reluctantly - must give his godson the whole and solemn truth.


**Hello all! This is a short little one-shot I wrote today off the top of my head. I promise I am working on the next chapter to my Big Genius 6 fanfiction, this is just something I did in a notebook for fun! Enjoy, and don't be shy to review!**

Harry Potter sat down in his favorite loveseat before the fire with a contented sigh. It had be a long day. _A __**very **__long day… _The hours had seemed to drag on and on in a neverending cycle. No matter how much he loved his nieces and nephews, they still tore at his nerves. Especially when they ran around the house destroying things and shouting at full volume.

Now, though, they were gone, every last one of the rascals. He could relax and enjoy his steaming hot cup of coffee (sadly, not in his favorite mug seeing as Fred, George and Angelina's son, had shattered in on the floor). A peaceful silence had permeated over the little house. Ginny was in the kitchen, cleaning up the remains of dinner. All was well.

Of course, Harry had forgotten about his godson. The boy, Teddy Lupin, shuffled into the living room. Teddy was passed around between the Potters, his grandmother, and the Weasleys. It was currently Harry and Ginny's turn to watch over him. Normally he was a fairly good child. Now, though, he had an expensive-looking picture frame in his hands. Harry sat up quickly .

"Teddy, where did you get that?"

"Your room." The four year old replied with complete innocence.

"Why were you in my room?"

"Because I was looking at the pictures!" Teddy exclaimed as if it was obvious.

"Oh, I see. Well what do you have there?"

"A picture."

Harry groaned in frustration, trying to keep his tone even. "Yes, I know, but what is the picture _of_?"

At this the boy looked down at the frame, head tilted to the side. "I… I'm not sure." He sounded confused. "They look familiar though."

Harry, all trace of annoyance gone and replaced with curiosity, patted the arm of his chair. "Well, why don't you come here and we'll see."

Teddy ran over as fast as his little legs would carry him, clutching the frame tightly in his little hands. Harry hefted him p and onto his lap. Trying not to get any blue hair in his face, he leaned over Teddy's shoulder. When he saw the picture, he sucked in a breath. The photo was a standard wizard-edition, the kid that moved. Within the frame was portrayed a very happy (though very odd) looking couple. The woman had short, spiky pink hair, pale skin and a seemingly fitting lopsided smile. The man had a rather ragged appearance, with shaggy brown hair,a serious smile, and eyes that held years of pain and joy. He had a few long scars across his face, but other then that, he looked almost exactly like Teddy. The couple was waving, and the woman nudged her husband, drawing a smile from his tired face.

"Who are they Uncle Harry?" Teddy asked, tilting his head back until his brilliant green eyes met Harry;s. Harry, of course, was not actually Teddy's uncle but, for lack of a better word, that is what Teddy called him.

'They… um…" Harry took a calming breath. "Teddy." He said seriously. "You know what your full name is , don't you?"

"Yes Uncle. It's Remus Teddy lupin."

"And you see that man in the picture? That's… that's the original Remus Lupin."

Teddy looked at the picture and then back at Harry. His mouth formed a wide 'O' and he said, 'Do you mean… do you mean that's my dad?"

'Yes Teddy." Harry replied softly. "That is your father. And the woman next to him is Nymphadora Tonks - although she insisted that we simply call her Tonks - your mother." There was a long silence. Harry was afraid there would be more questions… and, of course, there was.

"I… I know you've always said that my mom and dad can't be here… but why? Everyone else has a mom and dad. Why don't I? Why can't they come here?"

Tears welled up in Harry's eyes. "I suppose you're old enough to hear the full truth." He paused, bracing himself, and then continues, placing his words carefully. "Teddy… You're parents can't come here because they don't belong in this world. They belong in Heaven, in a better place than this world."

"So… so they died?" Teddy's voice was soft and shocked.

_Darn it. I should have known he was too smart for me to put it lightly._ "Yes Teddy, they died. But.. But they died for a good cause. They died fighting a great evil. They were fighting to make this world a better place. And they succeeded. So… So their death was not in vaid." Harry allowed a few tears to spill over. "Even if they are not on Earth, I know that your parents are watching over you."

"Th-They are? Right now?" Teddy's bottom lip quivered and he sniffed.

"Yes. Right now. They will never truly be gone Teddy. They will always be with you, right here-" Remus gently poked his godson's chest, "In your heart. And they will love you forever and ever."

By now, Teddy was crying. He turned and buried his face in Harry's shirt, shoulders shaking with great, heavy sobs. Harry cried openly also. He rubbed Teddy;s back and ruffled his hair softly. "Shh… It's alright. I know it's hard." After a minute, Teddy spoke between sobs.

"Wh-Why did-did _my _m-mom and-and dad have to- to die?"

Harry felt his heart break at these words. He understood what it was like to grow up without parents. He had spent his own childhood at the mercy of the Dursleys. He knew the feeling of wishing he belonged somewhere; wishing he could run to his mother when he scraped his knee; wishing he could go to his father for advice. Harry understood all these things... yet he could not answer the boy's question.

"I don't know Teddy.. I just don't know. What I _do _know is that I'm here for you. I may not be your father, but I still love you. You are my godson… and it is my duty to take care of you." Harry figured that his words were too technical for the child to understand, but nevertheless he felt the need to say them. "Even if I wasn't your godfather, I'd still love you, alright?"

Teddy nodded against Harry's chest.

"Did you know that my parent's died when I was little too?"

"Th-They did? What we-were their names?"

"James and Lily Potter." Harry replied, silently regretting the fact that he'd never gotten to know his own mother and father.

"O-Oh…"

"So I understand what you're feeling, and I am very sorry that you have to feel it. Just know that I am always here for you, okay? I am _always _here for you." He waited for a reply, and received only silence. "Do you understand?" He addressed the boy in a gently tone, hoping to soothe him.

"I-IO understand U-Uncle Harry."

Teddy cried himself to sleep, snuggled in his godfather's lap Harry carried the small, naturally skinny body into the room that was reserved just for him. He laid Teddy in the bed, sat on the edge, and brushed the vibrant hair from his face. Harry pulled up the old navy blue comforter - the one that had belonged to Remus himself - over the still figure. After a while, he leaned over and placed a tender kiss on Teddy's forehead.

"I will always be here for you teddy."

Harry stood and made to leave the room, but paused in the doorway and turned to face the illuminated scene.

"Always."


End file.
